Friday’s Mini-Report, 8.15.14

* Failing to inspire confidence: “The law enforcement official overseeing security in Ferguson said Friday he was not notified before the Ferguson Police Department announced that Michael Brown was a suspect in a robbery the day he was killed.”

* When I heard chatter about this one earlier, I honestly thought it was some awful joke. Apparently, it’s real: “Police in Ferguson, Missouri, once charged a man with destruction of property for bleeding on their uniforms while four of them allegedly beat him.”

* Inching towards war? “NATO and Ukraine said that a column of military vehicles crossed into Ukraine from Russia Thursday night, and Ukraine later said that most of them had been destroyed by artillery fire. It was not clear whether Russian soldiers or rebel separatists were driving the vehicles.”

* Boko Haram: “Nigeria’s Boko Haram militant group kidnapped 100 people earlier this month but most were freed by security forces from neighboring Chad, a Nigerian security official and a local self-defense member said Friday.”

* Ebola: “West Africa’s deadly Ebola epidemic is probably much worse than the world realizes, with health centers on the front lines warning that the actual numbers of deaths and illnesses are significantly higher than the official estimates, the World Health Organization said.”

* Sensible scrutiny: “The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee will look into the program that provides Pentagon surplus to local police before the full Senate considers the next defense authorization.”

* On a related note, this is a fascinating interactive map: “Mapping the Spread of the Military’s Surplus Gear.”

* I guess this was predictable?” Gun sales spiked in the region around Ferguson, Missouri, this week, as police face off with protesters in what until Thursday night was an around-the-clock stand-off many analogized to a war zone.”

* The trial will continue: “After listening to arguments from defense lawyers and prosecutors in a hearing this morning, U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer denied motions to acquit Bob and Maureen McDonnell of all charges.”

* Maybe someone should have a chat with the former governor about Florida’s reputation: “Jeb Bush is adding his influential voice to the medical marijuana debate in Florida, saying the ballot initiative could harm Florida’s reputation.” (It’s the most unintentionally funny lede I’ve seen in a while.)